Page 103 of His to Hunt

“Gilgamesh is dead, right? Right?” I snarl, barely completing my shift before asking.

“Gilgamesh… uh, disappeared,” Nanaya says, her eyes glued to the enormous rift stretching wider. “Oh no…”

I catch the scent of death, grief, and despair a second before a mangled, disfigured wolf with crimson fur tears through the rift. He hits the ground with a thud so heavy it feels like the entire building shakes. He’s three times the size of the biggest wolf I’ve ever seen, but he looks like he’s been through wars on top of wars.

“Gilgamesh?” Saul asks into the stunned silence.

“That’s my guess,” I yell, shifting back into wolf form.

I really hope Taryn found a good hiding spot, because Mother Fate’s emissaries are shifting. That means they can’t manipulate time. Mother Fate is getting up too, and it looks like she’s joining the fight.

“Usually, I say I like our odds regardless of how many we’re about to fight,” Saul transmits. “I don’t like our chances today.”

“He looks like some kind of disfigured abomination,” Ryker transmits. “If I die, put that on my tombstone. I want everyone to know what killed me.”

“Don’t talk like that,” Seb says. “If I was betting, I’d put your money on us.”

“Not your money?” Ryker asks.

“Never,” Seb transmits.

The large crimson wolf steps forward, looking around at us, his gaze finally narrowing on Ishtar.

“I have been frozen in time for thousands of years waiting for this moment. The last time we fought, I couldn’t handle the power of immortality,” he snarls menacingly. “As you can see, that is no longer a concern.”

“There’s a lot of us between you and her,” Austin growls, his voice distorted by his wolf.

“Snacks. Maybe an appetizer or two,” the crimson wolf says, licking his lips with a long, partially decayed purple tongue. “Today, I don’t get just one goddess but two. I’ll have both halves of the universe in my control. I’ll be able to manipulate time itself.”

“No!” Nanaya yells. “An abomination like you will never gain access to that power.”

Nanaya channels some sort of purple beam that locks Gilgamesh in place. I look around and make sure there’s no sign of my mate before I leap at the crimson wolf. The rest of Silver Pack join in. We clamp down on his throat. We tear at his legs. We pull away chunks of red fur and meat that tastes rotten.

But the beam doesn’t hold. Gilgamesh shrieks, breaks it, and snaps his enormous jaws across Ryker’s spine. Saul roars with rage and goes for Gilgamesh’s throat. The beast lets go of Ryker and slams Saul to the ground underneath one massive paw.

“Age didn’t make you wise, old wolf? Do they still tell stories about what happens if a crimson wolf comes to your door?” Gilgamesh asks as though engaging in casual conversation instead of waging a battle to the death.

“No,” Saul wheezes breathlessly.

“Everyone dies,” the red wolf roars, biting for Saul.

I react in a moment, rushing in and biting deep into the back of Gilgamesh’s leg. It causes him to snap his attention toward me, sparing Saul, who scampers away. I move and avoid his attacks, playing defense, rather than offense. I have no fucking idea how to bring this bastard down.

“My magic isn’t strong enough; I need Ishtar’s magic, too!” Nanaya screams.

“I’m too weak,” Ishtar gasps. “I need a druid… maybe one of your emissaries could help.”

I already know it’s coming before I hear it. I fucking feel it. She’s supposed to be hiding, but she’s heard too much.

“I’m a druid,” Taryn declares, pulling away from Ingrid who tries to stop her. “Tell me how I can help.”

If I didn’t have this wolf’s attention, I’d put my mate over my knee and turn her ass the color of Gilgamesh’s fur, but I’m just trying to stay alive. I don’t know if their combined magic can do anything, but if something happens to my mate, Gilgamesh won’t be the most dangerous thing in this fucking penthouse.

I don’t know what I was thinking doing the rituals here. There’s going to be so much fucking blood it’ll seep through the floors. We should have done this outside where the ground could claim what is left when we’re done.

“Take my hand!” Ishtar commands. “I can’t channel my magic, but you can. You’re strong; I can sense it.”

I don’t like that any better than hearing my mate volunteer, but I keep moving to avoid Gilgamesh until Austin gets his attention and then he’s after him.